Bad Habit
by changeofheart505
Summary: It was a bad habit. But it made Splinter worry. Collection of one-shots and how the turtles, Splinter and their friends, see Raphael struggle to keep his sanity. MentalIllness!Raphael AU! Possible future pairings includes Rasey, Mikenardo and Apritello. 1st place winner in the TMNTContest March "Habit" Theme Challenge.
1. Chapter 1

He was doing it again...

Splinter sighed as he looked at his second oldest son.

A now eight year old Raphael sat in front of a wall, where he had painted several faces, some smiling, some frowning, and some...he had no idea. But they looked almost...crossed.

"...and he never asked me how I felt!" Raphael whined, "It's always my fault!"

It broke Splinter's heart.

He was actually afraid that Raphael has Schizophrenia. And his imaginary friends, whom he gave life to in every day objects, including sewer walls, would one day lead him into insanity.

He worried for the child.

Worried that this habit would grow out of control.

But Raphael never spoke to him or his brothers, nor would he speak, when asked what was wrong.

Splinter stroked his beard as he continued to watch Raphael. The young turtle was yelling at the wall.

He needed to act quickly.

But how?

Splinter snapped his fingers silently and made his way out of the lair.

He walked down the sewers to the latest man hole, pushed it open, and was glad to see night had fallen.

He knew it was risky, but he just had to do it.

For his son.

For Raphael.

...

Raphael frowned as glared at the wall in front of him.

More specifically the face painted on.

"Who you calling stupid, stupid!"

He grabbed his paintbrush and quickly threw it at the wall.

He got up and walked over to the couch.

He sat on it and stared at the pillow next to him, "You understand me, right?"

The pillow did nothing.

Well, what did you expect?

He lives in a sewer, not Hogwarts.

Raphael huffed and crossed his arms.

He kicked his legs and looked around.

His 'friends' weren't there anymore.

He scowled and crossed his arms with a pout.

Fine! He didn't need them anyways!

Silence...

"COME BACK!" Raphael yelled as he ran around.

...

Splinter held a box in his hands gently, as to now disturb the creature inside, and stared at his son as he ran around.

"I DIDN'T MEAN TO GET MAD! YOU'RE MY FRIENDS! YOU'RE MY FRIENDS!"

Splinter set the box down quickly as he saw Raphael was about to collide with the steps leading into the pool that led to the sewers.

Honestly, how that water was so clean was a mystery.

Raphael struggled in his father's arms.

His emerald eyes were glazed over as he continued to scream.

"Raphael!" Splinter yelled and rocked the boy, "Calm yourself!"

Raphael took a few deep breaths and his eyes lit up again.

He squirmed out of his father's arms and was about to make a run for it, when he was held back.

Splinter said nothing as he held the box in front of him.

Raphael stared at him and the holes he just now realized covered the box's top.

Opening it slowly, he was shocked when he saw a baby turtle.

A normal one, like in Mikey's picture book.

He looked up at his father.

Splinter smiled softly, "My son, this habit of yours needs to stop. I worry. You will not speak to me or your brothers. I thought, perhaps you needed a friend, a real friend, to talk to. Promise me my son, you will not speak to inanimate objects again."

Raphael nodded and hugged Splinter.

Splinter smiled, that was as close as thank you as he could get with Raphael.

...

Splinter woke up the next morning to see Raphael in the kitchen with his pet turtle, whom he named Spike, and a leaf of lettuce on a plate.

Splinter wasn't able to hear what he was saying, but one thing caught his sight and hearing.

"Chew on your leaf if you understand me."

Spike bent over and bit into the leaf, chewing it.

Raphael smiled, "Yeah. I thought so."

Splinter sighed.

Hopefully, one day, Raphael would break this habit and come speak to him like he does Spike.

Heart to heart.


	2. Chapter 2

"COME ON RAPH!"

April and Casey winced as several crashes filled the air.

They ran quickly towards the lair and were met with an odd sight.

Leonardo and Donatello were both pinning Raphael down, said turtle was tied in chains, and both were struggling to keep him down.

Michelangelo and Splinter rushed in.

Splinter reached between his sons limbs and pressed Raphael's pressure points. The red banded turtle's eyes widened before he fell limp and unconscious.

"Uh..." Casey and April both looked at the scene before them.

What just happened?

Splinter sighed, "Leonardo, take your brother into your room, then join us in the dojo. Miss O'Neil, Mr. Jones, follow me."

The two humans quickly followed.

Donatello and Michelangelo left after them.

Leonardo looked at his brother and half carried-half dragged him into his room. After making sure he was on his bed, note the chains were left on, he closed the door and bolted towards the dojo.

* * *

"Master Splinter," April asked as they entered the dojo, "what's going on?"

"Yeah," Casey added, "why was Raph tied up-"

Splinter held up a hand, "We must wait for Leonardo. Then I shall explain."

The two humans nodded reluctantly.

They all waited for the blue masked turtle.

As soon as Leo walked in, Casey and April turned to Splinter, who sighed.

"It began years ago, when Raphael was just a child," he began.

The two teens listened closely.

"His brothers and I would often find him speaking to things that weren't there. We passed it off as him having imaginary friends. But the habit kept growing to the point he almost hurt himself."

"It didn't help that we picked on him for that," Mikey said looking down, "we didn't know until a few years ago..."

April looked shocked, "You didn't know what?"

"Raphael is schizophrenic." Donnie explained, "We only found out a few years ago. But because he had Spike, he had someone who he could talk to. But, before he met you Casey, Spike mutated into Slash...and...he...picked up his old habit."

Casey looked down.

He looked around at the solemn faces of the mutants.

"How bad is it?" April asked.

Leo sighed, "Raph is more...violant and emotional. Just before you two arrived, he snapped at his dummy of Shredder, blaming it for giving him his scar on his plastron...he ripped its head off and...wouldn't stop stabbing it. We had to restrain him. Just before I came here, he began to talk with some of the medical supplies."

The two human teens shared a look.

This was more serious than they expected.

But what could they do?


End file.
